The night had darkened upon
the empty parts of a broken city. Helm's Deep was now deserted and naught but
graves. But in the mists, two figures stood.

Aragorn Speaks-

Never did I hope or dare to think
that I would see him here. My eyes focused upon him, as his long silky blond
hair fell upon his face just the way I had remembered. His eyes shone crystal
blue in the fading light and his skin pale and bright. Long it has been,
everyday a year in my mind. I waited but he did not return. I opened my arms to
him, hoping that nothing has changed but he only stood there, a shadow of a
ghost he seemed. His eyes were worn in pain and sadness, but I knew that he
still cared.

"No…
my lord." He spoke in a soft voice; "I swore I would not…."

He cast one last look upon the grave of Haldir and
turned away from me.

"This is not your fault…"

"All he wanted to do was love me…
and I turned away… why couldn't I have just given myself to him? He cared for
me so much. Now it is too late…"

"Did you love him?"

"… No…" He replied after a period
of sad silence, "I never loved him the way I should have." He turned towards me
with tearful eyes, "It was you I loved. Even though I knew I could never have you.
I'm sorry." With that he ran from me, and did not stop till he was out of
sight.

[ONE]

10 years
later…

"It
has been too long…" Aragorn whispered softly. They sat alone upon the forgotten
rocks beside the sea, as they once did many years ago. The waves crashed up on
shore splattering upon the pebbles. He turned to the one he loved, and lost for
what he thought was forever. Legolas seemed to have recovered from his pain… although
the sadness did not leave his eyes. They had met again upon the shore but he
did not run nor did he seem overwhelm with pain. He was just an empty shell of
forgotten grief.

"Yes, I can hardly remember the
last time we were here." Legolas replied with a weak smile. His hands were
folded upon his lap and he looked out towards the horizon. "But you were still
just Aragorn then… not Lord of Gondor." He laughed softly, his voice like
music.

"… I have not changed." He said
gently, noticing how much sadness and pain beheld in his lover's eyes.

"… I know." Legolas assured him.
"It is I who has changed." He added.

"Why have you not come to see me?"
Aragorn looked upon the elf.

"I'm sorry." Legolas said gently,
"How could I after what I said, after the way I ran from you five years ago." This
was only partly true… he had thought long about it but he did not have the
heart to do it. It was too painful for him. He turned his eyes to face the
stern yet handsome man.

"…You should have come" Aragorn
replied, "… I have missed you so."

Legolas felt his heart skip a
beat. "… And I you." He could seldom remember the last time he felt that sudden
rush of happiness. As they sat there, silent, Legolas felt Aragorn's hand lace
into his own. He laid his head upon Aragorn's shoulder and there they stayed
till dusk turned completely into night.

The stars have opened up in the
skies above and the moon was now visible through the mist. "Do you remember…when
we first held each other like this?" Aragorn said in barely a whisper…

[-FLASHBACK-]

"Estel…"Legolas called, "Come,
my father is expecting you." His eyes faltered as they fell upon the creature that
was sitting by a tree biting himself. "What is that?" He asked pointedly as the
creature hissed and its eyes fell upon him.

"That… is Gollum." Aragorn
replied gently but his eyes were fixed on Legolas. It seemed that his friend
has grown even more beautiful than he had remembered.

"What is a Gollum?" Legolas said
quietly as the creature began to pick himself off the ground. He backed away
with doubt in his eyes.

"It is…" Aragorn began but he did
not go on, "I will explain later… Let us get him inside." As they walked, He
could not help noticing the way the light would hit the blond elf's hair and
how it would gently brush against his face as he walked.

"Is something the matter?" Legolas
noticed his friend watching him intently. But as he spoke he could not help
noticing that the one he used to hunt with once upon a time had changed as
well. The ranger stood proud and stern like a prince of forgotten days and his
face was keen and confident full of life.

"No." Aragorn replied. They
walked on.

[Interrupt
Flashback]

"I was surprised… you were even
more beautiful than I had remembered." Aragorn said softly.

"… And you were so strong and
handsome…" Legolas replied. He laid his face upon the man's breast as he felt
himself being bore to Aragorn's arms. The loneliness and pain he had to live
with for the past fifteen years were disappearing and he could feel his heart
burning upon his chest.

[Back
to Flashback]

"Will you stay a while?" Legolas
said hopefully as they strolled out to the gardens leaving Gollum in the hands
of guards.

"Perhaps a day or two." Aragorn
replied.

"You are so busy now… going abroad…"
Legolas whispered, "To think of all the
things we have done in those careless days."

"I do not regret even one of
them." Aragorn laughed softly, "… How is Haldir?"

"Haldir?" Legolas repeated.

"Are you not with him?"

"… No, not anymore." Legolas
replied gently. He did not love Haldir the way he tried to love him. It was
only a really deep friendship, and that could not change. He shivered slightly,
as he thought about how much pain he put his friend through when he broke off
their love. "I'm sorry." Aragorn said softly.

"Are you cold?" Aragorn whispered
as he slipped his cloak around Legolas.

"Thank you." Legolas said gently.
He realized that Aragorn did not let go of him right away and only did so when
he looked up. He focused his eyes upon the handsome man as he felt his heart nearly
jumping up his throat. In his nervousness, he had not realized they reached the
wood. And thus, he stumbled upon a root.

But it was not the ground he hit
for Aragorn had caught him in his arms. And there they stayed. Legolas slowly slipped
his arms around Aragorn's shoulders and they kissed softly… and passionately.

[End
Flashback]

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